Giving Conference Presentations Kevin Eric DePew October 2, 2007 ODU English

Presentation Overview Why Present? The Presentation Texts Giving the Presentation Designing the Presentation

Why Present? Opportunity to go to Conferences exposure to current scholarship meet new people start collaborations Develop professional identity Get feedback

Presentation Texts The call for papers (CFP) Your response to the CFP The conference paper Handouts (optional) PowerPoint (optional)

The Conference Paper 20 minutes Genre Consider audience & purpose 8 pages, double-spaced; 8 - 15 slides Genre Problem: purpose of presentation Frame: connection to conversation Response: solution to problem, examples Consider audience & purpose Save some details for Q&A

Roundtable A position statement made to prompt discussion Often for practical issues Focus on problem and response Include academic conversation when necessary

Handouts Gives your audience an artifact of your presentation; can include… your contact information your abstract references Illustrations or examples suggestions space for notes Use CRAP for design

PowerPoint Presentation Helps you to present extemporaneously, but maintain focus Organization structured  loose Effect orientation  distraction More on PPT later…

Giving Presentations Conference Presentation Etiquette Reading vs. Speaking The Physical Presentation

Presentation Etiquette DO NOT… exceed your time limit give a different paper be unorganized DO… show confidence in your work know your material be respectful

Reading vs. Speaking Know the culture Reading Speaking A: helps to keep you organized, on-task D: often prevents eye contact, loss of ethos Speaking A: demonstrates knowledge in material D: can appear unorganized

Physical Presentation Pay attention to your location; especially if using a screen for PPT Make eye contact Do not talk to the screen or paper; point to text when appropriate If using PPT; do not read slides, but use them to organize your talk

Designing PPT Presentations The way that each slide looks affects how the audience receives information Therefore, pay attention to Fonts Color Special Effects Images Repetition

Appropriateness Use appropriate backgrounds, images, and special effects for your presentation Discuss one issue per slide Use as little text as possible long passages do not place entire quote on slides excerpt, verbalize, or place in handout

Giving Presentations Why Present? The Presentation Texts Giving the Presentation Designing the Presentation